Cawdor
Encyclopedia
Cawdor is a village and parish in Nairnshire, Highland
council area
, Scotland
. The village is situated 5 miles south south west of Nairn
, and 12 miles from Inverness
.
, the seat of the Earl Cawdor
.
Macbeth
, in Shakespeare's play of the same name, becomes Thane
of Cawdor early in the narrative. However, since the oldest part of the structure dates from the 14th century, and has no predecessor http://www.cawdorcastle.com/macbeth.cfm, Shakespeare's version (and the tradition which came before it) is of extremely dubious historical authenticity.
The name "Cawdor" is the English pronunciation and spelling of the ancient and original name Caddell. In the lowlands, the name was Calder, so that if someone moved from the highlands to Edinburgh, their name would change from Caddel to Calder. In the early 19th century, the Lord at the time was residing in England and changed the name of the castle, town and clan overnight so that it would match the Shakespearian designation (reference: Cawdor Historical Society).
.
The site was excavated between 1984 and 1987 and several features were identified which are of this classification.
The radiocarbon test gave a possible date of construction during Agricola
campaign.
Cawdor Roman fort is probably the most northerly known Roman fort in the British Isles.
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
council area
Council Area
A Council Area is one of the areas defined in Schedule 1 of the Local Government etc. Act 1994 and is under the control of one of the local authorities in Scotland created by that Act.-Legislation :1889...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. The village is situated 5 miles south south west of Nairn
Nairn
Nairn is a town and former burgh in the Highland council area of Scotland. It is an ancient fishing port and market town around east of Inverness...
, and 12 miles from Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
.
History
The village is the location of Cawdor CastleCawdor Castle
Cawdor Castle is a tower house set amid gardens in the parish of Cawdor, approximately 10 miles east of Inverness and 5 miles southwest of Nairn in Scotland, United Kingdom. It belonged to the Clan Calder. It still serves as home to the Dowager Countess Cawdor, stepmother of Colin Robert Vaughan...
, the seat of the Earl Cawdor
Earl Cawdor
Earl Cawdor, of Castlemartin in the County of Pembroke, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1827 for John Campbell, 2nd Baron Cawdor...
.
Macbeth
Macbeth
The Tragedy of Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare about a regicide and its aftermath. It is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy and is believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607...
, in Shakespeare's play of the same name, becomes Thane
Thegn
The term thegn , from OE þegn, ðegn "servant, attendant, retainer", is commonly used to describe either an aristocratic retainer of a king or nobleman in Anglo-Saxon England, or as a class term, the majority of the aristocracy below the ranks of ealdormen and high-reeves...
of Cawdor early in the narrative. However, since the oldest part of the structure dates from the 14th century, and has no predecessor http://www.cawdorcastle.com/macbeth.cfm, Shakespeare's version (and the tradition which came before it) is of extremely dubious historical authenticity.
The name "Cawdor" is the English pronunciation and spelling of the ancient and original name Caddell. In the lowlands, the name was Calder, so that if someone moved from the highlands to Edinburgh, their name would change from Caddel to Calder. In the early 19th century, the Lord at the time was residing in England and changed the name of the castle, town and clan overnight so that it would match the Shakespearian designation (reference: Cawdor Historical Society).
Roman Fort
In 1984, a strong candidate for a Roman fort was identified at Easter Galcantray, south west of Cawdor, by aerial photographyAerial photography
Aerial photography is the taking of photographs of the ground from an elevated position. The term usually refers to images in which the camera is not supported by a ground-based structure. Cameras may be hand held or mounted, and photographs may be taken by a photographer, triggered remotely or...
.
The site was excavated between 1984 and 1987 and several features were identified which are of this classification.
The radiocarbon test gave a possible date of construction during Agricola
Gnaeus Julius Agricola
Gnaeus Julius Agricola was a Roman general responsible for much of the Roman conquest of Britain. His biography, the De vita et moribus Iulii Agricolae, was the first published work of his son-in-law, the historian Tacitus, and is the source for most of what is known about him.Born to a noted...
campaign.
Cawdor Roman fort is probably the most northerly known Roman fort in the British Isles.